Australia-Germany Advisory Group

General Music Director of the Saarländisches Staatstheater and Chief Conductor of the Canberra and Willoughby Symphony Orchestras, Nicholas Milton has been appointed to a new joint advisory group to strengthen diplomatic ties between Germany and Australia.

The Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany agreed to establish the Advisory Group to examine ways to build even closer ties between Australia and Germany during Chancellor Merkel's visit to Australia for the G20 Summit and bilateral meetings last November. While Australia and Germany have enjoyed a close bilateral relationship for over 60 years, the Prime Minister and Chancellor Merkel agreed that more could be done to build on these foundations for a stronger partnership.

Senator Mathias Cormann will co-chair the Advisory Group and lead the Australian members, who hold collectively significant experience in business, academia, science, government and the arts. We welcome Chancellor Merkel's appointment of Minister of State Professor Maria Böhmer as Germany's co-chair. The 15-member Australia-Germany Advisory Group will work to identify opportunities for increased trade and investment, cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and other regions of the world, cultural and social links and scientific collaboration. The Group will meet in Germany and in Australia before finalising and providing a report to Chancellor Merkel and the Prime Minister later this year. The first joint meeting of the Australian and German members of the Advisory Group will be held in July in Berlin.
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